Earlier this year, Santander set out plans to launch its Openbank digital offering - and its tech platform - across the US and Mexico later in 2024. The lender has hired Swati Bhatia, the former head of Goldman Sachs’ Marcus business, to lead its new digital-first retail charge in the US. Now it plans to use the US as a launchpad to bring the system to its retail and commercial operations globally. Executive chair Ana Botin tells Reuters: "Our goal is to build a common platform for our retail and commercial business, using our own technology. It is coming together in the US this year, but we’ll be slowly, but steadily rolling it out across our footprint."